A total of 56 informal settlements in Gauteng will be upgraded and formalised in this financial year to benefit more than 380 000 families. This will be done through the installation of basic infrastructure such as roads, water, sanitation and other social amenities.

Gauteng MEC for Housing Ms Nomvula Mokonyane made the announcement during the presentation of her budget speech for the 2008/09 financial year at the Gauteng Legislature today. She said the department is confident that the 2014 vision of eradicating all the registered informal settlements is achievable.

"In achieving this milestone, we will continue to execute our strategy through our five key programmes, namely mixed-housing development, eradication of informal settlements, alternative tenure, and Urban Renewal Programme and, 20 Prioritised Townships programme (PTP)," said Mokonyane.

MEC Mokonyane said the R3,099253 billion budget which shows an increase of 16,64 percent from the previous financial year, will be used to consolidate the gains made in the delivery of houses in the province.

She said the Department identified 122 informal settlements in 2004 that will be upgraded by 2009. To date 68 informal settlements have been formalised (upgraded in situ) and this has resulted in 325 000 people having access to water and sanitation.

"It is our goal to provide necessary services and tenure to about 710 000 people by 2009. Our ongoing commitment to the public is to ensure that all our people live in decent, secure and habitable environments", she said.

She went on to say that the her department together with the national Department of Housing and provinces are in a process of drafting a bill will stamp out the unregulated mushrooming of informal settlements and shack farming.

Mokonyane commended the people of Gauteng for their co-operation by allowing to be moved as the programme of upgrading goes ahead. She said there are some forces that are against development and continue to discourage people by telling them all sorts of fabricated stories and negative propaganda.

The MEC said as the department strives for excellence with the mixed Housing Development Programme, the province will continue with the construction of human settlements in the identified projects across the province. "It remains our commitment to integrate our communities. The eradication of hostels which will see a number of them demolished throughout the province attests to this commitment," she said.

She said the work should not be seen as a PR exercise but a manifesto that is aimed at providing citizens with decent houses.

For more information contact:
Aviva Manqa
Cell: 083 600 3830

Mandla Sidu
Cell: 083 602 6169.

Issued by: Gauteng Department of Housing
24 June 2008